CONSERVATION OF OUR SOIL AND RIVERS CONTROL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 98, 22 September 1948, Page 5

CONSERVATION OF OUR SOIL AND RIVERS CONTROL

Interesting Film Series In District Coming so soon after the Catchment inquiry and while the proposed Catchment Board is still a major topic of interest in this district, the showing of a series of colour films dealing with soil conservation and river control in New Zealand is attracting considerable attention throughout this district. Sponsored by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council, the films were shown at Matata and Thornton yesterday, and are showing at Edgecumbe and Te Teko today. They will be shown at the Caledonian Hall, Whakatane, tomorrow afternoon and evening, and at Ruatoki and- Taneatua on Friday, then at Waimana on Monday, Ohope on Tuesday, and Kutarere on Wednesday of next week. Following is a brief synopsis of the films:— * “Bringing Back the Balance”: The problems of a catchment' out of balance (flooding and drainage problems), the problems of the downlands-; and the problems of the high country. Soil Conservation pleasures in turn portrayed on the high country, on the downlands and on the low lying lands in the catchment to re-establish the balance between utilisation of the land and the prevailing physical conditions of the catchment. * / “We Live By Water”: The importance of water to man is portrayed, both when it is under natural control and when it gets out of control. The circulation of waters in nature and how vegetation ‘ deals with the rainfall, absorbing it and allowing it to percolate to the subsoil to feed springs and artesian basins is dealt with. The vital importance of preserving adequate vegetative cover to prevent this natural cycle being short-circuited is dealt with and erosion sequence developed. “Flaming Waste”: From portraying the extensive damage to native and exotic forests in the recent fires in the Taupo region this film leads on to the damage done by repeated burning and how it creates soil erosion problems. But it is also shown how burning used with discretion has been effectively used to win North Island grasslands. “Conservation Experimental Work at Te Awa”: In this film, a visit is paid to this area being , run in cooperation with a farmer where the stream, gully, slip and Sheet erosion problems are being tackled in a practical way and records kept of the results. . . ’

“Farmers’ Work in Slip, Gully, Stream and River Control”: This film portrays work being done by farmers on a subsidy basis from the Catchment Boards in hillside stabilisation, gully control and river bank protection in the Rangitaiki and Manawatu Catchment Districts.